Holy Week began with a family service on Palm Sunday led by members of our Young Church and Sunday School. The service commenced with a procession of palms to the singing of All Glory Laud and Honour. All the other well-known hymns were sung and everyone was given a palm cross.
Maundy Thursday was observed in the traditional way with a Benefice service that included the washing of feet, the Mystical Supper, stripping the altar and the agony of Gethsemane. Father Gareth ministered the Word, preached the sermon and, following the example of Christ, knelt to wash the feet of members of the congregation. The Benefice Choir sang Brother Sister let me serve you as this was taking place. Father Paul celebrated the Holy Mysteries and the choir sang Mozart’s beautiful Ave Verum Corpus. Finally, the Blessed Sacrament was processed to the garden of repose, at Colemere in the form of a model of Gethsemane with a veiled cross, and the solemn ceremonial stripping of the altar commenced. The beautiful hymns traditionally used here are worthy of mention because they are not to be found in most hymn books. The opening one is a setting of Ubi Caritas to the tune of Arh hyd y nos and the offertory to Ireland’s Love Unknown. Bach’s Passion Chorale leads to a version of Psalm 22 as the altar is stripped ending in darkness. The agony in the garden is read ending with the words “and they all forsook him and fled.”
The joy of the Resurrection on Easter Day was celebrated with all the liturgical splendour that could be mustered – the blessing of the Paschal Candle, the best white vestments, the glow of all 16 altar candles, the perfume of the lilies mingled with the incense and the thundering organ. All the usual Easter hymns were sung with gusto and refreshments were served at the end as we exchanged the greeting Christ is Risen!
Christopher Jobson